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The Tomatometer rating – based on the published opinions of hundreds of film and television critics – is a trusted measurement of movie and TV programming quality for millions of moviegoers. It represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show.

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Fresh

The Tomatometer is 60% or higher.

Rotten

The Tomatometer is 59% or lower.

Certified Fresh

Movies and TV shows are Certified Fresh with a steady Tomatometer of 75% or higher after a set amount of reviews (80 for wide-release movies, 40 for limited-release movies, 20 for TV shows), including 5 reviews from Top Critics.

Terrible. Disjointed, and motives are all over the place. Cannot believe the critics like this that much. Acting I had little issue with, but the writing just made no real sense. Motivations were odd and often not explained.

Got nervous after reading reviews about the plot, but was surprised at how interesting and straight forward the plot was. There are a ton of plot holes, vaguely explained "mcguffins" and confusing parts, but overall the gist was easy enough to follow. This isn't a SPELL BOUNDING, action-packed thriller of the year, but it is a fun little thriller heist for people into the genre.

Widows has an all-star cast, an Oscar-nominated director, and a best-selling novelist-turned screenwriter, so my expectations might have been turned up a bit too high. It follows a team of titular widows (Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Dibecki) picking up the pieces in the wake of their husbands‚(TM) deaths. It seems their dearly departed spouses stole money from a local criminal who very much demands the sum returned. The women must enter into a criminal heist, using notes left behind by a dead hubby, to settle the debt and spare their lives. Widows is a higher caliber crime movie with notable texture given to a wide assortment of characters; even the villains are given small character touches to better flesh them out and feel more realized. There‚(TM)s a concurrent election tying together different corrupt and criminal enterprises that widens the scope of the film into a grander scale. The characters and performances are the selling point of the movie and provide consistent entertainment. Davis (Fences) is the strong-willed linchpin of the group and I could watch her boss around people for hours. Dibecki (The Great Gatsby) has a nice turn as a trophy wife accustomed to being abused. The problem is that there might be too many characters. Rodriguez has far more significance in the first thirty minutes and then is put on ice. Likewise, Cynthia Erivo are hastily added when the plot requires something of them. That plot, adapted by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) and director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), proves to be the film‚(TM)s biggest hindrance by the end. The second half plot turns seem to come from a more genre-y version of this story, not the classier version we had been treated to beforehand. There are character decisions that baffle credulity and personal safety. The quality of the characters deserved a movie that could refrain from the hacky genre twists. McQueen‚(TM)s precise camerawork is still alive and well and highlights tension and also moments of social commentary, like when we watch a car travel mere blocks from a rundown inner city neighborhood to a fancy gated residence. There‚(TM)s a lot to like with Widows, and plenty to get excited about, but I wanted to like even more.

When I saw the trailer for the film I was actually a bit put off. I felt like I had seen this revenge story before. But I am a real Viola Davis fan, so I gave it a try, and I am glad I did. There are some very strong performances: Viola Davis, Collin Farrel, Robert Duval, and Daniel Kaluuya. I would definitely recommend this movie. I do have one request though. Don't cast Daniel Kaluuya as a villain in any more films. He does a great job, but he deserves something better.

½December 15, 2018

The movie feels like the writters tried to do a deep background to every "guy that dies n.2". Then tried to conclude every story. Couldn't miss sex scene with hot blonde. You had the tragic cop death, hard Latino life, racism, politics, crime, etc. Had so much stories I feel like didn't watched anyone's.

While making it always clear that this is in essence a heist film, Steve McQueen finds space for an intelligent commentary on race, gender and social class here as well, creating a taut combination of entertaining thriller and serious drama that benefits from great performances.

It boggles the mind how a film with so much talent in front and behind the camera could be so bland and unengaged.

½December 15, 2018

The acting is on point, so is the editing, cinematography and sound design. But one part of the story during the third act left me a bit confused. Other than that, it was an absorbing film that was executed in style.

Widows debuted months back at TIFF and I was furious I could not get tickets. The first trailer was absolutely electric and boasting a cast that is a series of Oscar nominees and winners, this movie had my money from the start.THEN I FIND OUT it is written by the woman who gave us Gone Girl, Gillian FlynnAND directed by the man who gave usBest Picture Winner 12 Years A Slave.What could go wrong, right?!RIGHT?! Well, everything sadly.This is the most disappointing movie of 2018 for me, and it pains my soul to write that to you.

This movie is a big, boring train wreck that tries to mix so many different genres into a boiling potie. part political intrigue thriller, part heist thriller, part gangster, throwing in 'elaborate' twists at points to lure you back that are so unoriginal, it sank this movie for me.

There are two people that shine in this movie and I will give them credit. The first being Daniel Kaluuya, who you'll recognize from Get Out, playing an absolutely heartless, street thug and brother to the man who got robbed in the beginning of the movie. He's so unlikable and cold in this, that it made me think how amazing it would be to see him in more villain roles in the future.

The other is Elizabeth Debicki, who we see as an abused and fragile wife to one of the murdered men. As the film progresses, we see her start to toughen up a bit and realize she doesn't have to take anyones shit anymore and it was applause worthy.

As the ole saying goes,"Was the juice worth the squeeze?", and the answer is no, as the build up to the third act heist and the heist itself is so bland and short lived, the two hours it took to get to it just doesn't seem worth while.

In a world where Hollywood is druling over female lead action movies, this is definitely the way to do it. These female leads are written as characters not identity symbols for PC idiots. They are flawed and humanistic and performed brilliantly by all their actors, especially Viola Davis. Definitely worth checking out.